It is more important to get it right than to get it fast.
That is one of the most important tenets of journalism. For almost 17 years, I have done my job with that sentence being at the top of the list of things that is a reflex, not something that I need to be reminded of.
The problem for “Dusty Sloan, football fan” was that I didn’t always live by the automatic credo that “Dusty Sloan, journalist” always has.
In 2008, the All-American Football League was slated to begin play, and give football fans spring outdoor gridiron in the absence of NFL Europe, which played its last season the year before. The premise of the AAFL was an outdoor professional football league that a) would have regional, collegiate ties and b) would only be for those players who graduated college.
The AAFL conducted a draft and subsequent player acquisition (I still have the rosters, by the way), had a schedule for its six-team league, announced sponsors and announced it had an officiating partnership with the National Football League.
What the AAFL did not have was enough money. The league postponed its first season in March of 2008, and still is trying (or, perhaps, not) to launch.
The AAFL – a lot of lip service, but no games. And, a lot of information in a hurry for nothing.
Then, in 2009, the United National Gridiron League was set to kickoff in the spring. The UNGL was billed as a league which would be played in the spring, in order to send “hidden gems” to the NFL.
The problem was, while the UNGL kept saying it was going to play, no one knew what the team names were going to be, no one knew for sure when training camp was after the league’s draft and the start date of the season kept being pushed back due to lack of funds.
The UNGL kept saying it would begin once funds were established, but they never were. And it, like the AAFL, is attempting a 2010 launch.
The UNGL – a lot of lip service, but no games. And, a lot of information in a hurry for nothing.
Flash forward to the United Football League. Many people criticize the UFL for not putting out information fast enough. The strategy, however, seems to have worked pretty well:
- The UFL, unlike the AAFL and UNGL, has played a first season, and will play a second season.
- The UFL hasn’t misled the public in anything it has released to the public.
So while it is understandable that UFL fans want to know what is going on with its league a little quicker, it is comforting to know that what is going on behind the scenes is a lot more reliable than what leagues like the AAFL and UNGL said in public.
I just don’t want UFL to be minor league. Minoe league won’t make UFL success. I want to see a rival to NFL.
Even though the quaint quote in this article about getting it right and not fast may strike a chord of sentiment among the more, nostalgic fans, it does not ring a bell among todays generation.
In this information age, it is most important to get it right AND fast.
Honestly, this article is like a dull knife, it just ain’t cutting. A lot of words, but saying nothing. What in the world are you talking about? The AAFL, UNGL, NFL Europe, huh?
Nobody was criticizing the UFL for not putting out information, fast. There were some concerns about the UFL’s lack of information concerning their intentions or goals for the league.
Sloan, perhaps you are still upset because you were trumped concerning the true intentions of the UFL. You thought, like many of us, that the UFL were created to become a rival league to the NFL. One of your readers (me), discovered that the true mission of the UFL was to become a developmental league to the NFL.(which answers your question firsthartfordfan).
“Dusty, it appears as if you are taking it personally, that the UFL did not reveal this information to you first, and it took a little investigating by a concerned fan to uncover it, while you continued to say it wasn’t so. Apparently this has so unsettled you that you have begun to obsess and write drivel like this piece, my advice, get over it!
Or, you can take your own advice and be comforted in knowing that what they did behind the scenes is more reliable than the leagues like the AAFL and UNGL. (This last paragraph was written in “Dustyspeake” and not for the average UFL fan, attempting to understand such hogwash and doubletalk may deaden your brain cells).”
Dusty, I think you should read what UFL Access is all about. I “investigated” and found the true mission of UFL Access(here it is fast and right):
About
UFL Access is a web publication dedicated to coverage of the United Football League, a new professional football venture set for kickoff in the United States in 2009. Access provides breaking league news and critical analysis of the methods, business practices, and on-the-field product provided by the UFL.
About the Editor: Billy Kirk serves as Network Supervisor of E-mpire Ltd. Co., the publisher of UFL Access. Kirk has served as Editor-in-Chief of various other E-mpire properties, and engages in other writing projects in his spare time.
Dusty, did you catch the part about “critical analysis of the methods, business practices, and on the field product provided by the UFL?
This article and several past articles of yours seem to be attempts to discourage critical analysis of the UFL’s methods and business practices.
I commend the Editor and E-mpire Ltd, Co, for providing this website focusing on the UFL and look forward to more insightful articles informing us of the inner and outer workings of the UFL as they continue to progress and grow.
Dusty, perhaps it is time to get back to the core values of UFL Access, stop defending, and reprimanding the fans of the UFL for questioning there motives and start investigating and reporting what you discover, whether those findings or thoughts are considered favorable or not to the UFL.
The fans of the UFL would appreciate it, if you don’t reprimand us in your articles like we are children, we are not children when it comes to understanding, we can handle the truth, the UFL can handle the truth, UFL Access can handle the truth, Can you?
Good Luck UFL Access!
Freethinker, consider this our last correspondence.
I am writing stories for UFLAccess for free. I do it because I’ve always wanted to write on a consistent basis about professional football, and have many, many people read my stories.
All of my stories are based on almost 20 years of experience, both as a football observer and as a journalist. I put a lot of thought into these stories, and all of the things I write about either are fact or my opinions. And none of these stories are put on this Web site without the knowledge or editing of either Nation or Billy, or both.
Since you are the only one making such a big deal about what I write, I am going to assume that 99.9 percent of the UFLAccess community is enjoying the stories. So that is who I will continue to write for.
Have a good life.
Exactly Dusty, I do enjoy your articles, it seems as if Freethinker is the one who is upset. Not at any point has the UFL ever stated it was going to be a minor league, quite the contrary. The only thing they have ever stated publicly is that for RIGHT NOW, it seems that the smartest business model would be not to go head to head against the NFL. We all know how well that worked for the USFL. Freethinker, seriously, you seem like a nice enough person, but you need to get over yourself. Dusty and the rest of the crew here do an outstanding job and provide us a great service. The “us” im referring to here is fans of the UFL, if you don’t like it, stop reading what is written on this site.
There is no use in discussing with “FreeThinker” he on a mission to bash the UFL. He is a troll ; but he trolls in a different way.
Great Idea Ladies, attack the one fan on your site willing to admit “The Emperor Has No Clothes”….Wow, I did not know you girls were so sensitive and protective of one another. I thought this was a free flowing website that welcomes ideas, thoughts and comments concerning the UFL, but apparently I was wrong, it’s a tea party.
If you call my disagreeing with something written on this site or any site for that matter, as bashing, then I have made a great mistake.
I read the UFLAccess mission statement, (which I alluded to in an earlier post), and after reading it, decided to become a member. Obviously they have strayed from their intended purpose.
If I have ruffled some feathers, I have no regrets, for I am a seeker of truth, and the truth hurts sometimes. My intention was not to hurt your feelings but to open some eyes. Healthy criticism if you will.
But that’s okay,go on UFL Access, with your cadre of “yes” men and writers. I will seek and perhaps I will create a UFL website of my own which does not seek to damper the enthusiasm or responses of it’s members and fans. One that embraces the good as well as the not-so-good things pertaining to the UFL, and rejoices in them all.
I will support the UFL, but I will not do it through blinded eyes.
Perhaps we will meet sometime, somewhere in the future.
PS-The UFL is a developmental league to the NFL, the commissioner of the UFL and NFL has admitted it, why can’t you. You continue to hide that “FACT” from your readers. THAT IS WRONG!
I am going out “UFL STYLE!”
C-ya, wouldn’t wantta be ya!
I respect your position completly, but it hard to have interest when nothings happening. It pretty much “2011 or Bust” for the UFL. No other alternative league has ever had the opportunity be the world’s only Major Pro League. The UFL cant wait until 2015, it gotta happen in 2011.
Chris Palmer the QB Coach for the New York Giannts just released a statement saying he is “Retiring from Football”. Guess he will not be the New UFL Hartford Team Head Coach after all. Retirments do not last forever.
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